Obama and Iran

Obama's problem is his moral equivalency, previously announced to the world and muslim countries in particular.

Iran is not a moral equivalent. Its government is the sworn enemy of the U.S. and is committed to our destruction and that of Western civilization. Therefore, it is our moral right and obligation to try to overthrow this govenment. If meddling in the Iranian election helps achieve this goal, that is a plus.

Remember that the original invasion of Iraq was a mistake when the real enemy and sponsor of terrorism was the Iranian government.

Also remember that some Iranian citizens may like the U.S. or at least not hate us. However, citizens of any country cannot escape the consequences of their government's actions. That was true of Germans and Japanese in WWII and is equally true today.

Norm Hill
www.booksbyhills.com

Thoughts on Election

To me, this presidential election has represented dismal choices or lack of them. As the campaign wore on, Obama has tried in slick fashion to position himself as "mainstream" on issues such as gun control, terrorism, etc. This is despite the contradictions with his previous pronouncements, which had always been hard core "leftist." However, McCain has offered no meaningful difference from Obama. Now, his last ditch ads try to present him as an advocate of lower taxes and spending. This is despite that he, along with Obama, supported the incredible $700 billion bailout. He missed a golden opportunity to zero in on the bad accounting that contributed to a considerable extent, and, maybe even to a primary extent, to the current economic crisis. Also, McCain seems to support the same environmentalist proposals that would go a long way to shutting down American industry forever.

To be sure, McCain and his running mate have suffered from a disgraceful media distortion and bias. However, when I have heard some of his positions, my emotional reaction was that he "deserves" it.

The only possible reason for voting for McCain is terrorist concern. Obama's previous statements on foreign policy seem to express a very dangerous worldview and a feeling of moral neutrality between the US and terrorist, theocratic regimes. McCain's previous military and war record seem to give him (although, even here, we can't be sure) a likelihood of standing up to the thugs around the world.

Norman E. Hill

Books By Hills

Winner and Final Chairman

Norm's Thoughts Blog

Movie Review - "Tell No One"

The French mystery thriller "Tell No One" keeps you on the edge of your seat-and your brain. Its integrated, intricate plot demands the utmost concentration for keeping up with a host of twists and turns. All mysteries are cleared up and resolved at the end, when the protagonist finally figures out what actually happened to his murdered wife some years before.

"Tell No One" has its share of evil participants, both actual criminals and law enforcement personnel completely corrupted. Villains are not raging psychos, but usually low-key wretches who describe their deeds and intentions matter-of-factly. In the same way, fanatical parental love is presented as a means for complicating matters further.

A complex movie like this easily calls for a second viewing to study its lines, body language, and subtleties again. Such a repeat showing should be just as enjoyable as the first.

Norman E. Hill
NoraLyn Ltd
Books By Hills

Success Express

This is to let those interested in discovering what's inside the Winner and Final Chairman know, Friday, August 22, I will be interviewed on the Success Express radio program. I hope you'll be able to tune in. My interview will start at 11:45 a.m. and last around 20 minutes.

Norman E. Hill
Books By Hills
NoraLyn Ltd.

Ethics, My Understanding of Objectivism

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How Moral is Capitalism?

This is to answer Rich Karlgaard's February 12 article in Forbes.

Yes, the purer the capitalism, the more prosperous AND more moral the society. As Ayn Rand has pointed out, her ethical code supporting capitalism is not dependent on "outside moral influences" or "religious values"(Ten Commandments or Sermon on the Mount). A pure capitalist system with Rand's ethics will not deteriorate to the "inhumane, cutthroat" society mentioned. In fact, the redistributionists' main nonsecular supports are the Sermon on the Mount and the numerous antiwealth references in Scripture.

In briefest form, man absolutely depends on his mind for survival, long range planning, and trading and dealing with other men. If he acts unethically, he damages and endangers his mind's functioning and thus endangers his survival. ONLY by acting ethically can he serve his rational self interest and protect himself on a long range basis.

Widespread understanding of this ethical approach cannot come overnight, due to centuries of philosophical corruption. Rand has the philosophical system, including ethics, in place to bring this change about.

One cannot truly defend capitalism against its implacable enemies without realization that pure capitalism is moral and therefore is incompatible with altruism or mysticism.

Norman E. Hill
Norm's Thoughts Blog
Winner and Final Chairman
BooksByHills
NoraLyn LTD

Attempt to Decipher Kant

Man gets knowledge from integrating. By perception, he starts with observing the existents all around him. He keeps them in mental grasp by conceptualizing i.e. by omitting the particular measurements of existents and grasping their common denominators. This process of integrating is how man acquires knowledge of and control over reality.

Kant also starts with existents and perception and forms an exceedingly complex conceptual chain supposedly applied to grasp and integrate the existents. He concludes that:

1. The existents he "grasps" are not those of true reality, i.e. of the noumenal world.

2. His observation of existents is from his sensing faculties that are neither omniscient nor omnipotent. Therefore, his observation is in principle distorted and, even if it was not, is not observation of true reality, i.e.the noumenal world.

3. His conceptual process and faculty are finite, neither omniscient nor omnipotent, and therefore could not mentally grasp the existents around him, even if they did represent true reality, ie the noumenal world. Therefore, his conceptual faculty is useless.

4. Therefore, in principle, man cannot grasp true reality.

Kant forms this conclusion about an unknowable reality by starting with reality and asserting he "knows" points #1 through #4 above. He accepts and uses the human process to grasp reality to form his conclusion that man in principle cannot grasp reality.

Norman E. Hill
NoraLyn Ltd.
Books By Hills